


A Meeting of Chance

by Chelseadaggz



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Outlaw Queen - Freeform, Outlaw Queen Secret Admirer
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-14
Updated: 2018-02-21
Packaged: 2019-03-18 09:21:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13678815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chelseadaggz/pseuds/Chelseadaggz
Summary: Regina Mills has always been something of an enigma in Storybrooke having suddenly appeared one day with her son in tow. Well-loved by most, she'd thought she'd found her safe haven but when a ghost from her past appears once more, will she be able to hold on to her beloved life? TW: established major character death, violence, blood





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my OQ Secret Admirer gift to the wonderfully talented Jen (Starscythe) xo

Her head was pounding something wicked by the time she’d made it through the throng of customers and into the cool haven of the diner, Ruby looking just as frazzled as she felt even as the younger woman danced around the place with more grace than Regina thought possible in this ungodly heat. It wasn’t the brunette’s fault that she’d been left unavailable to fulfil her duty as deputy now that summer had arrived and brought with it something of a roaring tourist trade. Granny had made it clear that, although she was to be on hand for Graham on the days he needed her, the diner always came first. She was to inherit it, after all. Still though, the situation wasn’t ideal for the Mayor’s office, particularly with the overspill of complaints she’d had to deal with on top of actually running the town.

She needed to find a replacement deputy and soon if she were to remain sane.

She swept a hand through her slowly frizzing locks, trying not to openly grimace at her already dampening hairline. Power suits in this weather were absolutely unthinkable but still, she had to maintain an air of professionalism and so, she’d had to make do with a skirt just long enough to be passable and a sleeveless silk blouse she was quite sure would keep her cool enough to avoid the dreaded sweat patches.

Regina hated that such lovely weather could still put her in something of a mood, if it were a degree cooler she was quite sure she’d be able to enjoy it for the blessing it was but instead, she found herself wishing summer was over already.

Still, seeing her little town lit so beautifully by the summer sun did manage to pull a prideful little smile from her whenever she had the chance to step outside – particularly on the evenings she was able to join her son for a walk around the park. Soon he’d be too old for such things so, despite the pang of unease that always came with the thought, she managed to push her sadness away and revel in the moments he still allowed her to hold his hand or put her arm around his shoulder.

Perhaps she’d take him for ice cream in the park again tonight.

Regina smiled and nodded politely to those who greeted her as she made her way through the diner and towards the counter. The line wasn't obscenely long, not like Regina had thought it would’ve been with the amount of people who’d been occupying the various benches installed outside, it seemed the old woman had hired a few more kitchen staff, something Regina had advised not so long ago only to have been scoffed at by the prideful owner.

She couldn't help the smirk that crossed her features as the woman in question emerged from the door leading to the kitchens and behind the counter intent of gathering more supplies, it seemed. She caught Regina's eye and only scowled in response to her raised eyebrows – _don’t be smug,_ it read as - the woman had always been a maternal figure in Regina's life, one she wished could have been her real kin as opposed to the cold figure that had raised her.

Mother had loved her, her Daddy had always insisted, in her own way and Regina had been foolish enough to believe such a thing – her father had meant no harm, blind as he was to Cora’s ways – up until she’d come to adopt Henry and found that unconditional love flowed from her heart to his own in an unbreakable cord. Cora hadn’t known love nor how to give it. It was something that still struck a dull chord in Regina’s heart whenever she allowed herself to dwell, which was more often than she liked to admit.

She blinked out of her thoughts when the line began moving once more and she found herself standing before a girl she hadn’t seen all too many times before, probably a student from one of the colleges just out of town. Many of them migrated to Storybrooke during the holidays to pick up the extra work.

"What can I get you ma'am?" the girl’s voice shook slightly as she greeted Regina with a strained smile. Her dark hair was pulled back into a sleek bun, errant strands falling about her pretty face no doubt from the exertion of the morning.

"Please, call me Regina." The young girl nodded her understanding before recognition dawned on her features and her eyes widened slightly. It wasn’t an unusual reaction from a non-resident and so Regina leaned in close with a kind smile, "I don't bite sweetheart."

"I'm sorry Madame May- " at the brunette's feigned stern look she amended, "Regina, I didn't recognise you, what can I get you?" she had blushed deeply at her idiocy but maintained eye contact, something Regina found extremely commendable in a person, particularly one so young.

She smiled warmly once more before her aching head took president and she straightened up once more, “I’ll take a club salad and a mineral water to go, please,” hoping a little food and hydration would ease the pounding. She hadn’t managed breakfast, what with the sheer number of calls she’d received that morning. As the young woman took down her order, Regina frowned gently before she continued, “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name…”

"Naya," she responded when Regina trailed off, "my name's Naya.” Her smile seemed a little easier to give now that she’d found the Mayor wasn’t quite the bitch most thought her to be.

"Great, thank you Naya," Regina smiled. As the girl turned to leave she placed a warm palm over her slim forearm to halt her gently, "Can you do me a favour?" When Naya nodded, she continued, "when you relay the order to Granny, please give her my congratulations, she'll know what you mean, dear."

Naya walked away with a nod as Regina made her way over to the other end of the counter to wait for her food. She had to stifle her laughter at the sounds of a disgruntled diner owner coming from the back room just before Naya returned with her eyes slightly wide but the only indication of her shock. She stopped before Regina with a bottle of water in her hand and explained that her food would be ready in just a moment.

"Oh,” she added rather hesitantly as she moved to walk back to the line of customers, “Granny said…thank you."

Regina did laugh this time as Naya blushed and turned her attention back to the next person. She slowly made her way over to the condiments cart just beside the jukebox, righting the skewed bottles of ketchup and salt before grabbing a disposable fork for herself.

The sounds within the diner were loud, conversations between families, friends and lovers the soundtrack of the day. She smiled as she turned and took in the sight of the happy faces that adorned each table, something that had been quite rare in the time before her time in office.

Adrian Gold, the Mayor before her and her former employer, had been completely disconnected from the townsfolk, uninterested in anything other than gaining more power. She’d been a runner in his office, kept on the side-lines to file and sort and take on much more than should have been expected of her. Most of Gold’s responsibilities, the ones he was able to shirk onto her, were taken on by Regina. It was how she’d managed to gain the knowledge she needed in order to run for the next election. She’d won by a landslide and Gold hadn’t taken it too well. Even now, whenever they were to cross paths, he’d pretend she was nothing but clear air. She’d given up trying to be civil with him long ago.

The relationship she’d built with the townsfolk, especially those Gold hadn’t had the time nor care to tolerate during his time in office, had served her well both in the election and after. People respected her but they weren’t afraid of her. She’d been unknown only a few years ago – something of an enigma when she’d arrived alone in town with a toddler, no husband to speak of and had taken up residency at Granny’s for almost six months before she’d managed to save enough money to buy an apartment of her own – yet now, she was well loved. A big part of the town.

It was something she took great pride in.

Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t see the young boy running straight for her until it was too late.

He bounced off of her legs and hit the ground with a heavy thud that had her wincing and completely ignoring the rather large dollop of ice cream seeping through her skirt and dampening her leg as she immediately crouched and placed her palms on his upper arms, her disposable fork pressed lightly against his tee-shirt.

"Are you okay, sweetheart?"

Big brown eyes lifted to her face, the young boy looking a little dazed and confused as he peered up at her with an ice cream cone squashed in his fist. Her stomach dropped when his mind seemed to catch up with his body and his lower lip jutted out as a fat tear came rolling from his eye.

“Roland?” she looked up at the sound of another’s voice, heard over the din of conversation already filling the diner, to see a man she’d never seen before with a smile on his face as he looked about the place, “Where are yo- Oh my God!” he exclaimed the moment his gaze fell upon both Regina and – she assumed – his son on the ground.

He wasn’t so much crying as he was sniffling, eyes still on Regina as he whimpered, “I’m s-so-sorry…I didn’t mean to-“

“Oh, don’t you worry about that, little one,” she shook her head at him with a warm smile even as the stranger came to kneel beside her, fussing over his boy as he asked what had happened, “you just didn’t see me there, did you?”

“I am so sorry,” his assumed father told her as he turned his face to look at her – God, his eyes were blue – “we were playing a little game and it seems we got carried away.”

Regina was still holding the boy upright as she shrugged at the man and gave a reassuring smile, "It's fine, no harm done," she pulled her gaze away – she definitely hadn’t seen this man before, she’d have remembered those eyes – and looked back to find his son still fretting as he wiped at his cheeks with his free hand. “Hey now,” she soothed on a gentle laugh, “I’m not worth spilling any tears over, will you allow me to buy you a replacement ice cream seeing as my skirt stole yours?”

"Oh no, really you don't have to do that," his father assured her as he moved to his feet and offered her a hand, “honestly, I shouldn’t have encouraged him, not when the place is so busy.”

“Nonsense,” she waved him off, accepting his help up before bending to offer his boy a hand as she told him, “it would be my pleasure.” And then, remembering it was rather rude to be speaking with someone and not tell them her name, she moved to do so, interrupted only by Naya as she moved from around the counter with Regina’s order.

"Here's your club salad, Madame May- I mean, Regina," she amended quickly, smirking at the brunette's scolding look, "sorry, I hope you enjoy," and with that she rushed back to the never-ending line.

When she returned her gaze to the two she’d been speaking with, she found the stranger to be looking at her with absolute mortification on his face as he rubbed a hand at the back of his neck and asked, “You’re the Mayor?”

“I am,” she confirmed with a soft chuckle before she looked to his son and back again and told them, “but I prefer Regina. And may I ask what your names are? I should have done so earlier, awfully rude of me not to.”

He took her offered hand and shook it, her palm tingling where it touched his as he replied, “My name is Robin, Robin Locksley,” his touch and his gaze lingered for a moment, those kind eyes moving over her face before he inhaled a sharp breath and – regretfully – let go of her hand to nod down at his son as he continued, “and this little ice cream assassin is my son,” she was right then, “Roland.”

She smiled politely at Robin, nodding at his introduction before turning her attention back to Roland and asking, “Well, now that we’re friends,” glad to see a small smile curling at his lips even with eyes still wet, “what do you say we go to the park and get you some more ice cream?”

* * *

 

The park had been restored and updated in Regina's time as Mayor, she’d wanted it to be the safest place possible for children and so had set about ensuring that not long into her term. The whole play area had been built upon a shock absorbing tarmac meaning if a child should fall, as they often did, the actual impact would be minimal. A brightly coloured fence had also been placed around it, tall enough to stop the little ones from climbing over but short enough to stop it from feeling as though they were caged in like animals.

She had, with the help of the school teachers, created a tally of which playground essentials the children (and parents) wanted with an option to add something of their own wishes. The usual elements had been voted for; a swing set, a seesaw, monkey bars etc. All of which had been erected with the addition of one thing more – a castle.

A vast majority of the students had requested a castle, somewhere they could go should they ever want their own escape from reality and she had been more than happy to oblige. It was an extremely popular attraction and she revelled in the times she frequented the park and was able to see just how much enjoyment the children got out of it. It was normally at least once a week she would be stopped and gushed over by a satisfied parent. It was reassuring, affirming even. She was doing okay.

“It’s a beautiful town,” Robin mused, pulling her out of her thoughts as she turned to glance at him. His eyes were roaming about the park, taking the area in before he looked back to his son currently swinging with abandon. He’d finished his ice cream a little while ago as she’d taken them on a tour of the lake and its surroundings before bringing them here much to Roland’s delight.

“Thank you,” she replied graciously, flushing with pride as she always did at such a compliment before turning the subject on him, “I hope you don’t mind my asking but, what brings you here?”

“Not at all,” he replied with an easy smile that she couldn’t help but look at for a moment, feeling like a damn schoolgirl with her crush – _you’re a grown woman, Regina, pull it together! –_ before he explained, “I actually have a friend in town, I haven’t seen him for a while and have been meaning to come out here with Roland so when he sent an invitation out for his restaurant opening, I thought, why not now?”

“I’m sorry but, do you mean John? John Littleman?”

“That’s the one!” Robin beamed, shifting a little on the bench to face her better. “Do you know him?”

She shook her head with a breathy laugh, “Extremely well.”

“Wait a minute…”

She eyed him suspiciously when his eyes narrowed – his grin remaining.

“You’re not the, and I quote, ‘beautiful brunette’ that talked him into finally opening his own place, are you?”

“He did _not_ call me that.”

“Oh, but he did,” Robin chuckled good-naturedly before throwing her off a little with his rather flippant remark of, “with good reason, I see,” before continuing as though he hadn’t just short-circuited her brain and telling her, “thank you for getting him to do this. He’s been wanting to for as long as I’ve known him but he’s never taken that leap.”

She was still a little shell-shocked but managed to shake herself out of it enough to reply to Robin. “It was more a case of me forcing his hand, in all honesty.” Robin’s smile remained still as he tilted his head and frowned at her in gentle confusion. She exhaled a deep breath and rolled her eyes almost self-consciously before explaining, “He’s always talked about doing it, like you said. Every single year he’d grouse about not getting around to it but still, he wouldn’t do anything about it so when a place became available, I bought it and asked if he would begin teaching cooking classes there for those around the town that had always wanted to learn.”

“People loved it and, pretty soon, he had to open more and more nights a week in order to allow everyone a chance to learn from him so after a month or so, when he’d finally realised how much people loved his cooking and had made more money than I think he knew what to do with, I asked if he’d finally turn it into a restaurant and give the people what they really wanted.”

“And he agreed?”

She shrugged, a soft smile curling her lips at the memory of John’s acceptance and the relentless fretting that had come before it. “You have the invitation, don’t you?”  

“That I do,” he grinned with a nod.

She laughed in response, was about to ask how long he was going to be in town for when her phone buzzed to alert her to the end of her lunch break. “I’m terribly sorry,” she sighed regretfully – she wanted to stay, she realised – “but I have to get back to work.”

“Shit,” he replied, looking guilty as he stood from the bench with her, a frown creasing his forehead, “we’ve eaten up all of your free time, I’m so-“

“Don’t apologise,” Regina cut him off quickly and with a smile, “it sure beat sitting in that stuffy office trying to ignore the phone.”

They laughed together for a moment, both casting eyes over to Roland when he let out a melodious giggle as he took turns on the slide with an easily made friend, before looking back to one another and shifting awkwardly for a moment. She was reluctant to leave but, still…

“It was great to meet you both.”

“You too,” he quickly took her offered hand – that tingly feeling shooting up her arm once more, not at all unpleasant – shaking it with enthusiasm before asking, “we’ll see you around?”

Her insides warmed with the question as she nodded and replied, “Yes, I suppose you will.”

* * *

 

“Uncle John!”

The man in question lifted his eyes from the paperwork on his makeshift desk – a pasting board it looked like – and beamed at the sight of Roland, both ignoring Robin’s warning, _“Careful!”_ as his boy jumped over paint pots and tool boxes on his way to John. “There’s my favourite merry man!” he cried out as he hefted Roland into his arms and threw him up into the air a little, revelling in his giggles as he caught him with large hands beneath his armpits. It was a joke they’d instantly brought Roland in on the moment he was old enough to understand – Robin and his Merry Men, something he and his friends had been called since high school – and he absolutely loved being a part of it. It only warmed Robin’s heart more to know that John was keeping up with it for his son’s sake.

“The place is looking good,” Robin mused as he took a much slower path towards the pair, casting a glance about the large space. He could see the layout well enough – it seemed the heavy-set counters that had most likely been used for John’s cooking classes were being ripped out to make way for tables and chairs with a bar already erected along the back wall – and it really was looking great.

“There’s still a lot to be done,” John shrugged as he settled Roland on his hip and met Robin in the middle of the room, still smiling widely at the sight of them both, “but we’re getting there. I can’t see us falling short of the deadline.”

“Well, good.” Robin gave his friend a pat on the arm, letting his palm curl around his bicep and squeezing gently, “I’m proud of you, mate.”

“Thanks.”

Robin grinned at the slight colour to John’s cheeks as he shifted Roland needlessly on his hip before he gave a light cough to clear his throat and turned his attention back to the four-year-old. “So, how’re you liking Storybrooke, Ro? Made any new friends yet?”

His boy nodded enthusiastically, grinning that adorable grin before telling John all about the boy he’d met at the park and the games they’d played before revealing that, “Papa made a new friend too!” which had John’s head turning in time to catch the widening of Robin’s eyes before he’d been able to mask his surprise.

“He did, did he?”

“Uh huh,” Roland confirmed – how Robin wished his son was old enough to understand tact and all that it entailed – “she was really pretty and nice to me and she bought me an ice cream in the park ‘cause I squished mine on her skirt by accident.”

“A _pretty_ friend,” John teased with raised eyebrows to Robin, “and here’s me thinking I’ve got that role all covered.”

“You’re funny, Uncle John,” Roland giggled in his friend’s arms before squirming a little, wishing to be put down it seemed.

“There are some toys in the back room, Roland,” John pointed to what looked to be his actual – or soon-to-be – office in which Robin spied a box full of said toys and a plush little bean bag that he was quite sure the man had probably picked up especially for their visit, it wasn’t unlike him to have such forethought. “Why don’t you go play for a little bit while your Papa and I have a little boring grown-up chat?”

He’d always been an easy child – save for the odd tantrum – and so it was unsurprising when Roland simply nodded and skipped off on his merry little way – with another warning of safety from Robin – and settled down in John’s office, happily distracted for the next ten minutes or so.

“So,” John grinned with a teasing tilt of his head as he crossed his arms over his chest, “who is this ‘pretty’ friend and do I know her?”

Robin’s eyes rolled as he replied tiredly, “It wasn’t like that,” even though the words felt wrong on his tongue – it _hadn’t_ been like that, she’d just been kind to them, had taken pity on the new tourists because she was the _Mayor_ – “and yes, you do know her. In fact, you called her far more than ‘pretty’ on the phone when you described her to me.”

It took him a moment but, with a few seconds thought and a furrowed brow, realisation slowly coloured John’s features as his eyebrows lifted and he replied, “ _Regina_? _That’s_ who Roland is talking about?”

“One and the same,” Robin confirmed with a nod and another eye roll when John made a comment about him getting his ‘feet under the table’ so quickly. “Roland accidentally gave her a lapful of ice cream so she insisted on buying him another,” he shrugged.

“That sounds like something she’d do,” John laughed softly as he shook his head, “she’s the best thing that ever happened to this town, I swear.”

Warmth spread slowly through Robin as he allowed himself a moment to think of those dark eyes and full red lips of hers, of her bright white smile and kindness with Roland. “She seems nice,” he mused after a long moment, ignoring John’s knowing look as he pushed past him on his way to his son and shaking his head when he heard a muttered _“I’m sure that’s all you think.”_

Still, he couldn’t quite shake the hope of seeing her again, sooner rather than later if he was lucky.

* * *

 

She startled at the knock at her door, mortified that she’d fallen into a daydream when she should’ve been sorting through the ridiculous amount of emails currently awaiting her attention. “Come in,” she called, silently praying that it wasn’t yet another problem for her to sort and trying not to appear too relieved when it was Graham that appeared in her office rather than an angry townsperson.

“Bad time?” he asked with a small smile the moment he caught sight of her fully – apparently her poker face wasn’t what it once was.

She took the reprieve for what it was, however, and heaved a deep sigh as she slumped a little in her chair and shook her head, “Definitely not,” she chuckled breathily before narrowing her eyes and feigning suspicion as she warned, “unless you’re here to pile more problems on my head because in that case, yes it most certainly is.”

“I come in peace!” he lifted his hands and grinned, looking just as tired as she felt. She beckoned him towards her with a nod of her head and a warm smile. “I actually came to talk about hiring a new deputy,” he winced – he liked Ruby very much, they worked well together – “I’m not trying to discredit Ruby, she’s been a great addition to the office but-“

“Her availability is a little non-existent at the moment,” she finished for him with an understanding nod, “I was actually thinking the same earlier. You need someone on-hand permanently, I understand.”

“Even if only for the summer,” he shrugged as he dropped down into the seat on the other side of her desk, crossing one leg over the other and leaning back into it, “until the tourist trade has died down and Ruby can pick up the extra shifts again.”

Regina nodded as she used a heeled foot to rock gently in her chair, something of a soothing side to side motion as she let her mind run. In all honesty, there weren’t too many people physically available to commit their time to such a hands-on position.

“I was thinking of asking one of the elementary school teachers, now that school’s out for the summer, perhaps they’d be willing to help out a little.”

Her brow furrowed – there was Mary Margaret, not Regina’s favourite person in the world but trustworthy and certainly caring about the community, she often took an interest in the goings on around town but then, if Regina remembered rightly, she was terrible at keeping secrets. They couldn’t have a known gossip dealing with the more sensitive of people’s issues on a daily basis. The women knew how to be professional but could she keep quiet when presented with the more sensitive of subjects? – her head tilting as she shook her head ‘no,’ to that decision.

“What about David?” Graham suggested after a moment, pulling Regina from her thoughts. “He hasn’t been here all that long but he’s well liked enough now that…well…” he trailed off awkwardly.

Regina’s eyebrows raised though she said nothing in response. It’d been quite the scandal, the vet’s affair with the school teacher. She still remembered the bright red lettering that had adorned Mary Margaret’s car for a few days after it had gotten out. Kathryn had promised she’d known nothing about it but Regina had had her suspicions – not that she’d pressed the matter further. It had been rather humiliating for her friend and, luckily, not something that the Mayor’s office had to be involved in.

Still, despite that transgression – and the fact that David and Mary Margaret seemed to be something of an official couple now that his divorce was final – it seemed he’d managed to gain some favour back from the town with his easy charm and though it still left a bad taste in Regina’s mouth – endless nights she’d spent on the phone to Kathryn or holding the sobbing woman in her arms flashed through her mind – it was none of her business.

“I suppose he could be something of an asset to your department,” but then, “what about the shelter? I know it’s not exactly overrun but could he juggle both?”

Graham shrugged lightly as he too thought through the logistics of the situation, “I suppose the best thing to do would be to ask him outright. If he thinks he can handle both and it won’t be too much of a stretch then, why not? He’s the only option we have at the moment and I think we’re both at about breaking point, yeah?”

“You can say that again,” she breathed as she lifted a hand to press a finger to her temple, still aching though not quite as much as it had been this morning.

“Look,” Graham began as he lifted himself from his chair and rounded her desk to stand behind her, curling his palms over her shoulders and using his thumbs to knead at the knots in her upper back – she had to fight not to moan outright at the sensation – “leave it with me, I’ll set up a meeting with him, something informal just to see where he stands and then we can set something up a little more formal between the three of us before any decisions are made. Let me take this little bit off of your plate and you just focus on something else, okay? I don’t like seeing you this way when it can be helped.”

“What else would you expect during the summer?” she laughed humourlessly. It was like this every year no matter how much they prepared. Something always happened. She shook her head as the inevitable feeling of guilt rose within her when her mind wandered back to the same thing it had been on before he’d walked into the room. Henry. “I just want to be able to spend time with my son when the sun is still in the damn sky. He deserves more than to be left with someone else every day because his stupid mother can’t seem to get her shit together and run a town.”

“Hey…” Graham soothed, cutting off her self-deprecating thoughts before they were able to go any further with a soft kiss to her cheek before he crouched enough to wrap his arms around her shoulders and hold her against him as best he could for a little while, “Henry knows how important your work is but he also knows how much _more_ important he is to you. You’re not choosing the town over him, you’re keeping the place from falling apart and providing him with a stable home. Anyone that sees you with him can see how wonderful a mother you are. Stop giving yourself such a hard time.”

“It’s just-“

“Regina,” he cut her off once more, unwrapping his arms from her shoulders and moving to crouch beside her, using his hands on the arm of her chair to swivel her around to face him so that she could see his face properly. “You have given that boy everything ever since he was just a baby, far more than any other would have in your situation. The people of this town may not know the ins and outs of your life before you came here but I do and I think you are the strongest, most commendable woman I have ever met. Don’t discredit yourself, don’t forget everything that you’ve given up for him.”

Tears welled in her eyes at his words, at blonde curls and emerald eyes still imprinted in her mind. No one but Graham knew of her past, of her life before Storybrooke. No one but Graham and Henry. “I can’t fuck this up, not just for Henry but for _her_.”

“You won’t,” he assured her with a kind smile and a warm palm on her knee, his thumb stroking over the bare strip of thigh left uncovered by her skirt, “and you haven’t.”

It still gave her nightmares, thinking of that awful night so many years ago. “There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think of her,” she whispered as the tears in her eyes finally fell to trail down her cheeks. “I just want to do her proud, to raise her son with as much love as she would have if she’d gotten the chance. I need to do that for her.”

“You may not think it,” Graham stood from the ground, using his hands to scoop back her hair from her face and pressing another kiss to her cheek, “but you’re already doing that, Regina.” He stayed for a moment after pulling back, eyes moving between her own – no doubt realising that a few words weren’t going to squash the feeling of inferiority she’d held for years now – before he sighed softly and smiled once more, “Do you want me to come over tonight? Cook for you and Henry?”

She appreciated the offer, she really did but, “No, it’s okay,” because, “I want to spend some time with my son tonight, just me and him. I feel like it’s been too long since I’ve been able to give him my full attention but thank you,” she tilted her head, lifting a palm to his cheek fondly before adding, “for everything.”

He grinned, no worse the wear for her rejection, before he shrugged and replied, “It’s no hardship, trust me. You’re very special to me, Regina. You and Henry. Whatever you need, whenever you need it, just ask.”

She nodded gratefully before wiping away the last of her tears and promising, “I will.”

The kiss that he pressed to her palm had her smiling once more before she watched him take his leave with nothing more than a reassuring wink and a teasing smile that pulled a wet laugh from her.

She turned back to her desk, scrolling quickly through the emails still awaiting her attention before taking a deep and decisive breath and turning on her ‘out of office’ response email. There was still plenty for her to be doing for the next few hours but, for once, she was going to cut herself a little slack and spend the rest of the day with her boy.

* * *

 

Regina couldn’t stop smiling.

They’d waved goodbye to Marco – Henry thanking him for allowing him to help with the large commission he’d just taken on for the nunnery whilst Regina had promised to call by more often (he’d been a good friend and something of a confidant when she’d first moved here, mainly due to the amount of time he spent in the diner speaking with Granny – something she still kept an eye on presently, hoping they’d one day get their act together and just admit their feelings for one another) – before Henry had looped his arm through hers and beamed at the news that they’d be going to the park for the afternoon.

He’d questioned her early appearance having thought he’d see her well after dinnertime with the amount of work she’d been grousing about only that morning but she’d simply shrugged and told him not to worry. He’d wanted to question it, she’d been able to recognise the expression – so much like _her_ sometimes that it physically hurt – but had let it go when she gave him the same answer once more.

He knew not to look a gift horse in the mouth, especially where her free time was concerned. It was something that she took relief as well as guilt from.

Today wasn’t about feeling guilty though, it was about them and the precious couple of weeks they had left before summer was over and he’d be back at school.

“He let me help carve the rungs on the rocking chair,” he grinned, practically beaming when she told him how much of a privilege he’d been allowed before their attention was caught by the shouting of her name.

Turning her head with a brow that had furrowed automatically, she found Roland to be running towards her, grinning from ear to ear with his father and John close behind. Her frown disappeared and was replaced with a warm smile as she greeted, “Hello again, Roland. Have you had a good day so far?”

“Uh huh!”

“He’s been helping his Uncle John set-up, haven’t you?”

Regina lifted her eyes from the boy in front of her to find John and Robin, the former leaning forward to press a kiss of greeting to her cheek with a friendly _Good to see you,_ widening her smile. “You too,” she replied before folding her arms leisurely over her chest and asking, “how is the set-up going, by the way? I’ve been meaning to stop by and take a look but-“

“-with your schedule? Don’t be silly, Regina. I’m surprised you’re still standing, never mind stopping by to my little place.”

“Still,” she shook her head, grateful for John’s understanding but still guilt-ridden having pushed him towards the restaurant and offering no help, “I’ll carve out an afternoon soon and come help out.”

“Can I help too, Mom?”

She turned her head to find Henry looking up at her with wide, pleading eyes. “You want to help John with his restaurant?” she was doubtful given that he groaned practically every time she asked him to take the garbage out and acted as though she was asking him to dip his hands in acid whenever she asked him to do the dishes. “Honey, it would be a lot of work, _hard_ work…”

“I know that,” he frowned – rather adorably in her eyes – before arguing, “but I could do it, I _want_ to do it. Plus, then you won’t have to worry about where I am in the daytime because I’ll be with John and you get to stop by when you finish work later on.”

“I honestly don’t mind him helping, if that’s okay with you, Regina. An extra pair of hands would be great.”

She looked from her son, to John and back again. It wasn’t a bad idea, in all honesty. It would save having to move Henry around day by day – a little easing of her guilt – and if John needed the help... “As long as you don’t mind,” she looked from John to Robin – because the man was here to spend time with his best friend after all.

It was Robin who replied with, “It would actually help to know that someone else was about to keep an eye on Roland whilst we work,” and then, looking to Henry kindly, “if that’s okay with you, that is?”

“I can watch him!” Henry replied eagerly. She knew the source of his enthusiasm – for once, he’d get to be the baby _sitter_ rather than the baby _sat_ – and she couldn’t help but smile as she shrugged and agreed that from tomorrow morning onwards, she would drop Henry at the restaurant before she went to work and stop by for a chat in the evening when she picked him up.

He couldn’t stop staring at her. Literally, could not stop staring at her as she spoke with John and glanced towards where their boys were playing. He’d thought her beautiful that morning anyway but something about seeing her again, a little more relaxed now that work seemed to be over for the day and she was in the company of her son – his admiration (and attraction) for her had only grown knowing that she was also a mother as well as the Mayor of this town – had him unable to look away from her.

Her dark hair fell in luscious waves around her shoulders, bouncing lightly with each turn of her head and he was mesmerized. The late afternoon sun was lighting her skin, warming her enough that she’d taken off the blazer she’d arrived in and was back in just that sleeveless blouse she’d been wearing a few hours earlier when they’d met at the diner. Her arms were shapely, emphasised by the way she had them crossed over her chest – covering that wonderfully strained button – as were her lean legs. Toned and tanned and left bare in the summer heat. She was an absolute marvel.

Robin blinked, acutely aware of something missing within him. Something that had been present for the past three years – guilt. He didn’t feel guilty for looking at Regina as he was – perhaps a little lecherous (though his thoughts were perfectly pure and merely admiration) – didn’t feel that sickening stab of grief when he remembered _why_ he always felt so guilty thinking of any woman other than his Marian.

She’d told him, right before she’d succumbed to her illness, that she wanted him to carry on, to find someone to make him as happy as he’d made her and he’d nodded but shushed her, told her to save her breath, her strength. She’d pushed on though, well aware that he’d had no intention of following through with her wishes – he’d made an internal vow to be a widow for life, to spend his days caring for their son and grieving for his love – and had made him promise to find someone to share his big heart with. He’d promised.

There had been women who’d caught his eye over the last three years, of course – perhaps not so much in that first torturous year – but he’d seen nothing but differences. Marian’s hair had been dark, not blonde. Her nose had been a little shapelier, lips fuller…and he’d felt awful for making the comparisons but she had been his everything.

Not Regina though. No, Regina was in a league all her own just as his Marian had been.

It surprised him, the ease with which he was able to look at her and to think of her in such a way. It concerned him a little too, if he was honest.

He shouldn’t be thinking of Regina in such a way – thinking of nights spent dining out and days spent like this, with their boys playing in the park – when this town wasn’t his own. He was merely here to visit. Getting into something would be far too complicated – not that she was interested in him, for all he knew – but still, the desire to get to know her better was still simmering in his belly.

Particularly so when it seemed like she was now making her way back over to the bench on which he was sat with an easy smile on her face.

“Are you sure you don’t mind my son joining you in the restaurant?” John rolled his eyes with a laugh as he followed behind the Mayor, “I don’t want him under your feet all day.”

“Not at all,” Robin assured her, shifting a little on the bench to allow her room as she took a seat beside him – he fought hard not to inhale too sharply at the subtle scent of her perfume wafting over him – “in fact, he’d be a great asset in terms of some of the lighter lifting and keeping an eye on my boy, if that’s okay with him and with you. I don’t want him to feel like he’s a babysitter for Roland.”

“I actually think he’d enjoy it,” Regina replied honestly, turning to glance at the two boys, smiling at the way Roland was copying Henry as they ran through a pretend battlefield to get to Henry’s beloved castle. “He’s always wanted a sibling, someone to look after and set an example for. I think Roland would be a great way for him to do that.”

“Well, as long as _you_ don’t mind,” Robin repeated her own words, pulling a soft chuckle from her that he rather enjoyed hearing before they were interrupted by something of a loud sigh of feigned annoyance from John as he put an end to their circle of polite parenting and told Regina to drop Henry by as early as she needed in the morning.

“We’ll make sure he’s kept entertained, don’t you worry.”

“Oh, I’m sure you will,” she rolled her eyes with a laugh, “but thank you, again.”

“You’re welcome.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for your lovely comments on this piece, especially the lovely Jen (Starscythe) for whom this is written. I hope I haven't kept you waiting too long for the next update but here it is. 
> 
> TW: established character death, blood, violence 
> 
> This will also answer your questions regarding Graham (I love reading how everyone is so suspicious of him!)

Her morning had consisted of answering email after tedious email. She’d emailed Graham, a little frazzled and tackling another headache, asking that he speak with David sooner rather than later and, predictably he’d called only a few moments after asking if everything was okay. In all honesty, it wasn’t.

The last few weeks of non-stop work had been at the forefront of her mind – that and her guilt over not seeing Henry as much as she’d have liked to – meaning she’d almost forgotten that it was soon to be the anniversary. She’d noticed it on her work calendar this morning when she’d been checking that she’d taken off work for his first day back at school – it had always been something of a tradition, her walking him to school on the first day – and her heart had stuttered painfully in her chest. How could she forget something like that?

They chose to celebrate the day rather than mourn it, her and Henry. Would spend the morning having a few extra hours in bed, cuddling and watching a movie of Henry’s choice before they’d make their way down to the kitchen and make pancakes of every assortment. In the afternoon, they’d go for ice cream sundaes and would take a sky lantern down to the beach in the evening to set off in honour of his birth mother.

It was always a sad day, that would never change but they’d make the most of it together.

Her voice had been thick when she’d answered the call and Graham had heard it instantly. She’d told him not to rush over though, as nice as it would have been to have a little comfort. They needed to organise a meeting together with David to talk with him about the deputy role first and foremost. He’d reluctantly agreed to leave her be but a request had popped up around an hour later for a meeting between the three of them just before lunch.

So here they were.

Her ire still burned stronger than it should’ve whenever she had the misfortune of running into David, more so than it did with Mary Margaret. He’d tried to play the victim with Kathryn, had accused her of being distant and well, how was a man supposed to stay faithful to his wife when things were getting a little tough? His excuses had never washed with Regina but, she reminded herself, that was a personal opinion and an attitude not meant for the Mayor of a town. She had to be objective, remain professional.

“It doesn’t have to last much longer than the summer if you don’t wish it to and you would be given intensive training before we throw you out to the dogs but,” she sighed tiredly, rubbing her temple and sitting back into her chair, “we’re rather desperate, David. Ruby can’t manage the diner and being a deputy and with the town so busy at the moment, Graham can’t handle it alone so, in all honesty, I would owe you hugely.”

He nodded, exhaling heavily before looking between her and Graham and asking, “But I’d still have the time to cover my hours at the shelter?”

“We could survive until you found a temporary replacement, yes,” Graham nodded, throwing a sympathetic but subtle smile at Regina – she needed someone practically instantly if she were honest but if he was to be their best option then yes, they would just about survive – “but the sooner the better, if possible.”

“I already have someone in mind,” David replied, taking note of the vein practically pulsing in Regina’s forehead, “let me speak with them this afternoon and I’ll have my answer for you by morning if that’s acceptable?”

“It is,” Regina nodded, “and thank you for considering this. I know how much you enjoy your time at the shelter but I can promise that I too will keep an eye on the place and ensure everything is running smoothly whilst you’re away.”

“Thank you, Regina.”

“So, we’ll speak with you tomorrow?”

“You will,” David nodded, rising from his seat and moving forward to shake Regina’s hand. He was polite and well-mannered, she couldn’t fault him for that. Still, her smile was hard to come by as she accepted his hand and watched as he turned to do the same with Graham before saying his goodbyes and taking his leave from her office.

The moment he was gone, she let out an audible sigh that had Graham chuckling softly as he rounded the desk and moved to stand behind her chair, thumbs searching out the knots in her upper back. “We’re on the road to sorting this, Regina,” he reminded her, “he seems interested enough in the position.”

“Well, let’s hope he finds himself a replacement.”

He gave her a moment, a moment to enjoy his ministrations, his kneading fingers and thumbs before he asked the inevitable. “You want to talk about earlier?”

“I don’t know wha-“

“You were practically in tears, Regina,” he cut her off before she was able to deny the truth, his tone kind but as firm as his still working fingers. “I hate seeing you like this, all tense and stressed.”

“I’m not stressed,” and that sounded like a bad lie even to her own ears so she amended, “well, I am,” pulling a soft chuckle from behind her that she rolled her eyes at and slumped forward to rest her head in her hands with her elbows on her desk as she confided, “but it’s not that. I almost forgot Emma’s anniversary today.”

Graham breathed out a soft sigh as he moved from behind her, trailing his palm over her shoulder until he was able to grasp the other in his hand and turn her chair enough so that he was kneeling before her. “Emma’s anniversary may be one for remembrance,” and it was, always, “but you and I both know that not one single day goes by that you don’t think of her. Her spirit lives on in your heart and in Henry’s and sometimes you will forget the specific day on which you celebrate her life but, my point is,” he trailed his hands down to take her own, “you will never forget her, Regina.”

There was a moment, a moment of complete silence that followed before she was shifting up and out of her chair – allowing Graham to get to his feet – and wrapping her arms around his neck, closing her eyes and nuzzling into him as she whispered, “How is it you always know exactly what to say to me?”

He wound his arms tighter around her waist, pulling her closer and pressing a kiss to her hair before replying, “It’s what I’m here for.”

The hug lingered, Regina taking strength from it, until they were interrupted by the clearing of a throat, both shifting apart to find Robin standing in the doorway looking particularly awkward.

“I hope this isn’t a bad time,” he held up a brown paper bag for her to see as he looked down to the hand Graham still had on her waist and back up again as inconspicuously as he was able – she still caught it.

“Not at all,” it was Graham that answered before she was able, “I need to be getting back to the station anyway, I’ll call you tomorrow?” and she knew as well as he that he was referencing David’s answer but found herself floundering to ensure Robin too knew that there was no subtext beneath the question.

“Yes, let me know if he wants the job.”

Graham’s smirk was stopped from fully forming only by the glare she sent his way and the subsequent rolling of his lips into his mouth as he shook his head gently and took his leave with a polite goodbye to Robin and a wink over his shoulder for only Regina to see.

She rolled her eyes once more at him before turning her focus back to Robin and offering him a bright smile. “To what do I owe the pleasure?” she brandished a hand before her, a silent invitation for him to come in as she silently berated herself for such an idiotic greeting. She also ignored the fluttering in her stomach at the sight of him all flecked with paint and sheened with a little bit of sweat with the heat of the day.

“Henry mentioned that you sometimes forget to eat on your busy days,” he explained, a little awkward as he grew closer to her, the brown paper bag held between both of his hands before he offered it up to her, “so I thought I’d pop by with something, give the boy peace of mind.”

“He’s a worrier,” she chuckled softly as she accepted the bag, flushing with adoration at her son’s thoughtfulness.

Robin’s eyebrow lifted as he watched her rounding her desk to drop the bag atop it, smirking as she looked up at him questioningly. “I don’t see any other food in here, Madam Mayor.”

Regina flushed hot at the title, an echo of arousal pulsing in areas long since untouched by any but herself as she took a moment to tamp down her damn hormones and floundered for an answer. “Well, I…uh,” because, in truth, she had forgotten about lunch altogether with everything going on and, now that she _was_ actively thinking of it, she found herself quite hungry. Her eyes rolled as she pursed her lips to keep her smile from growing and replied, “He wasn’t wrong.”

Robin’s chuckle was warm and lacked any sort of mocking in it as he nodded, “Well, then I’m glad I stopped by.” And then, because they weren’t friends, not _yet_ at least, he bounced lightly on his heels and asked, “I’ll see you later?”

Regina nodded, somewhat disappointed that he was leaving so quickly – though, she did still have a lot of work to do – before replying with a nod. “I should be done by five, five-thirty at the latest.”

“See you in a bit then, Madam Mayor.”

She swallowed thickly – Christ, was that what he was going to be calling her from now on – as she nodded and smiled as best she could as he took his leave, something vaguely knowing in his eyes as he left.

* * *

 

She looked fantastic today. All sun kissed skin off-set beautifully by the bright red of her sleeveless dress. Her dark hair was coiffed to perfection and those lips painted an almost teasingly sinful shade of red. There was no doubt about it, Robin was ridiculously attracted to her. Seeing Graham with his arms around her though, that hadn’t set well with him.

He was being foolish, he knew it in his right mind. Graham seemed an alright guy, polite enough. But the thought of him with his hands on Regina, on any _other_ part of Regina turned Robin’s stomach. It wasn’t until he’d returned to the restaurant and they’d all finished eating that he asked John for a little inside information.

“They had a little thing a couple of years ago,” John answered as Robin’s stomach sank, his paintbrush faltering a little in its strokes, “but I think it kind of just…fizzled out. They’ve been friends since she arrived here, it was probably too weird.” And then, inevitably, he frowned, “Why do you ask? Did you walk in on something?”

Robin rolled his eyes at John’s feigned melodrama, “No,” and then, “not exactly. They were just hugging but it, uh…it looked a little cosy.”

John shrugged, “Don’t take my word for it but as far as I know, they’re close friends and nothing else.”

Robin nodded, hoping his friend was right.

* * *

 

Henry hadn’t realised just how tiring something as simple as painting could be, not until he was climbing into his Mom’s car and felt the relief of relaxing back into his seat. His arms were aching from his continuous strokes – he and Robin had been in something of a silent competition to see who could finish their half of the wall first. Henry had won but he was quite sure that the other man had let him – his back a little sore from standing for so much of the day. Still, he’d had a lot of fun.

He told his mother as much when she asked, both of them laughing softly when they found Robin standing in one of the floor-length window panes with an excitable Roland in his arms, waving them off.

“They’re really nice,” Henry told her as they pulled away, the restaurant falling out of sight, replaced by the many shops lining Main Street. “I can’t wait to see what it looks like when it’s finished!”

“Well, John’s already sent out an invite for us and with how hard he said you’ve been working today, I’m sure you won’t have to wait all that long.”

His eyebrows lifted as he caught her eyes in the mirror – crinkled with one of those smiles she saved just for him – “He said that?”

She hummed in the affirmative, nodding as she looked back to the road and added, “Robin too, they’re both mighty impressed with you, Henry Mills, said you are an absolute credit to me but, I knew that anyway.” Her eyes softened as they found his in the mirror and she told him, “You make me very proud to be your mother, my little prince.”

His eyes rolled even as his cheeks flushed pink – he’d never been short of compliments what with a mother like his but to hear it from John and from Robin affected him a little more than he’d like to admit – and he settled a little deeper into his seat, ignoring her soft chuckle at his reaction. They sat in silence for a little while, Henry staring out of the window at the passing buildings as Regina concentrated on the road before she mentioned something that had his interest peaking and the niggling thought that he’d forgotten something settling in his mind.

“Thank you for sending Robin by with some lunch this afternoon, sweetheart. I very much appreciated the gesture.”

“I don’t like thinking that you’re not taking care of yourself. You always take care of me,” he shrugged nonchalantly despite the swirling of emotion in his gut, “I like to be able to take care of you too, Mom.”

Her eyes were sheening, as he knew they would be, as she looked back to the road and blinked to force back her tears. Things like this were always a little sensitive for the both of them. His mom had confessed, a little over a year ago when he’d been old enough to understand a little more about his birth mother, that all she wanted to do was to make Emma proud. Since then, he’d felt quite the same. There were days, when anger was running a little high, when she was snappy and he was surly, that he’d have to take a moment to remind himself of all that she’d done for him and of the woman who never got to do those things for him. He wanted to make _both_ of them proud.

“It was Robin’s idea to stop by with some food after I’d mentioned it,” he added after a long moment – when the lump had gone from his throat.

“Yes, well,” she coughed lightly to clear her throat, “he’s a nice man.”

“I’ll say,” Henry chuckled, glancing to the window once more before a thought struck him and he looked back to his mother’s eyes in the rear-view mirror. She was looking at the road but he could tell that she’d fallen into her thoughts, thoughts of Robin no doubt. “It’d be okay, you know,” he interrupted loud enough for her to hear but not enough to startle.

“What would, honey?”

“If you wanted to date Robin,” he shrugged, “he’s really funny and I know he’d be nice to you because he’s really nice to me even when you’re not around and I know that he likes _you_ so-“

“-What makes you think he likes me, Henry?”

It amused him more than it probably should that _that_ was what she’d heard above all else as he found her eyes flicking between the mirror and the road, a slight frown creasing her forehead. “I don’t know,” he shrugged, aiming for nonchalance as he kept his eyes on the road and not on her, “he just goes all weird whenever you’re around, like he doesn’t know what to do with himself. Plus, he was asking John about Graham and you earlier, asking if there was anything going on between the two of you.”

He’d known Graham since before he could remember but even Henry knew the difference between a boy that was a friend and a _boy_ friend. Graham was his mom’s boy-friend and nothing more even if they did hug and stuff. He’d been glad when John had confirmed that to Robin without Henry having to step in, and Robin’s reaction, well…

“Robin looked a little happier when John said that there wasn’t.”

He chanced a look in the mirror then to find her eyes on the road but her mind definitely not. It was a long moment before she replied with a quiet, “That doesn’t mean anything, Henry. Robin doesn’t like me like that, he barely knows me.”

And, he supposed, that was true. “Well, maybe you should spend a little more time together because, Mom?” he waited for her eyes to meet his before he raised his eyebrows in a show of amused knowing and finished, “He definitely does like you like that, I even heard John teasing him about it.”  

* * *

 

_“Promise me you’ll take care of him, Regina.”_

_Her fingers curled into the silk of Emma’s blouse –_ her _blouse technically, she’d teased the woman about borrowing and never returning it only that morning – as she fought for breath. Emma was fading in her arms quickly, eyelids flickering as she fought to hold on._

_“I need to know he’s going to be okay, please…” she coughed weakly, a splutter of blood staining her lips and teeth. “Regina…”_

_“I promise,” she dropped her forehead to Emma’s, choking on a sob and repeating, “I promise,” over and over and over. The police would come to her soon, make her let go of the woman in her arms and ask her question after question after question about the man they had face down on the gravel._

_It was surreal. Ten minutes ago, they’d been planning a girls’ night together, groaning about making it to their cars in the onslaught of the rain and now, now here they were. It didn’t make sense._

_“I’m so sorry, Emma,” she sobbed, “this is all my fault!”_

_“Don’t you dare s-say that,” the blonde managed but just barely, her voice above a whisper, “this isn’t your fault. But you’ll be s-safe no-now. He w-won’t be able to h-hurt you anymore.”_

_She pulled back enough to catch Emma’s weak smile._

_“Tell H-Henry,” her forehead creased with pain before she managed, “I love him…” before she took one last weak breath and became limp and motionless in Regina’s arms._

* * *

 

She woke with a jerk, heart thumping a strong rhythm in her chest and fingers aching where they’d been gripping at the sheet covering her body. She was hot, too hot. Sweaty and sticky and unable to catch her breath.

It wasn’t uncommon for her to have that dream, for her mind to recall that awful night in almost perfect detail. Especially when she was a little stressed and guilt-ridden about the time she managed to spend with Henry. Still, it always managed to throw her completely off-kilter.

There were tears on her cheeks and a thick lump in her throat as she reached blindly towards the nightstand and pulled open the drawer with a pounding head. She tipped two pills into her hand and had to stop herself from slapping her palm to her mouth in her haste to rid herself of this headache – her fingers were trembling as she let them rest over her lips. The glassful of water she’d placed on the nightstand was lukewarm, pulling a grimace from her as she took a mouthful and tipped her head back to let the pills slide down her throat.

A shower, maybe that would help.

She reached for her phone, pulling the charging cable from the bottom and tapping the home button to pull up the time. It was only 2AM, far too early to be getting up and ready for the day. Sleep wouldn’t come easy now though, it never did after a dream like that. She needed to try, for Henry’s sake. It was her first full day off in two weeks – Graham had offered to cover the weekend for her, to keep an eye on her emails with the stations phone re-directed to his cell and she’d accepted without complaint – she was going to make the most of it with her boy.

Still, she did need a shower.

It had helped, somewhat. Standing beneath the lukewarm spray, imagining her worries and her fears sliding from her skin and swirling down the drain with the water. She still felt a little jelly-legged and anxious when she’d slipped into a new pair of pyjamas – just some silken sleep shorts and a vest to keep her cool over the next few hours – and had folded the sheet over and left it at the foot of the bed. Her eyes had grown heavy quicker than she’d imagined, however, once she’d finally lay herself back down.

When she woke again, it was because she was hot. Too hot for one who’d fallen asleep with nothing covering her, she thought sleepily. But then, as consciousness slowly crept back upon her, she realised that she was no longer uncovered.

Blinking open her eyes, she peered about in the early morning light – she’d managed to get a good few more hours sleep then, it seems – before feeling a tickle beneath her chin and two bony knees pressed against her stomach. Henry.

Laughter left her in a sleepy hum as she tightened arms already around him and pulled him impossibly closer. There weren’t many mornings he did this now, not with him growing so quickly, so the occasions on which it did happen, filled her heart to bursting. He’d have woken her if it were a nightmare, he always did, so she quelled the concern that flickered in her stomach and simply basked in the moment.

She didn’t know what time it was, she didn’t care.

It was only as she closed her eyes and contented herself to remaining this way – even though she could feel the dampness of sweat on her pyjamas and the mattress beneath them – that a drowsy little voice asked, “Can we go to Granny’s for breakfast?”

Regina’s eyes opened once more as she blinked and lifted her chin from Henry’s head, shifting back enough so that she could tilt her head down and look at his scrunched little face. “Well, good morning to you too, sweetheart.”

He blinked – he wasn’t much of a morning person, her boy – replying with a tired, “Good morning, Mom,” and then, repeating, “Can we go to Granny’s for breakfast?”

She lifted a hand from his waist to brush back sleep-mussed hair from his forehead before she dropped a kiss there. “I don’t mind cooking, my darling.”

“I know,” he nuzzled back in against her, eyes closing once more though he continued, “but then you don’t have to and there’s no cleaning up after. We can just sit and let someone else do it all for us.”

Her heart swelled with affection for him even as she breathed a laugh and teased, “You’re just trying to get out of doing the dishes, aren’t you?”

He surprised her though, responding with his own sleepy laugh before he replied, “You deserve a break, Mom. A proper one.”

And well, she thought, perhaps he had a point.

They’d remained in bed for a good half hour more before Henry’s stomach had declared it was time to get up. A half hour after that they were walking out of the door and making their way in the early morning warmth to Granny’s.

It wasn’t as busy in the morning as it was at any other time of day with the tourist trade in. There were a few eager families fuelling up for their day of exploring but a number of tables were still free. Henry chose ‘their’ booth, unsurprisingly, and beamed when Ruby made an appearance only a few minutes later.

“Long time no see, my little wolf cub,” she greeted with a ruffle of his hair, chuckling with Regina when he ducked away from her hand and straightened out his hair to little avail. He needed a haircut soon. “What can I get my favourite pair?”

“Red velvet pancakes?” Henry asked, shooting a nervous glance at Regina who narrowed her eyes teasingly before she offered a small nod, “and orange juice please.”

“Good boy,” she commended – usually he’d try for a milkshake on top of his plate of luxury but it seemed this morning he wasn’t going to push his luck – before ordering apple pancakes – hold the cream – and a cup of coffee with a jug of water for the table.

“Coming right up,” Ruby grinned, scribbling their orders onto her pad before taking the menus from them and making her way back to the kitchen, weaving through the tables and chairs with a practiced ease.

The bell above the door rang out not five minutes later and pulled Regina’s gaze from her son, her stomach flipping when she found Robin making his way over to the counter with a sleepy looking Roland on his hip. Both of which were sporting rather adorable bedheads and slightly sleep-puffed eyes. He still looked good though in his white tee and dark grey sweats, biceps flexed and dimples denting his cheeks as he smiled at Ruby when she reappeared from the kitchen. The picture of casual that still had her biting subtly at her lip.

She blinked, forcing herself to look away when he moved to turn and search for a table, catching Henry’s smirk – much to her utter mortification – before he was turning and shouting Robin’s name – again, much to her utter mortification. She had been about to scold Henry for yelling across the diner when she heard Robin’s responding _Hello_ and turned her head to find him heading over with a much perkier Roland in his arms.

“Henry!” the little one exclaimed – earning a gentle shushing from Robin – before he asked, “Can we sit here, Papa? Please!”

Robin’s eyes instantly find hers, a silent question that she answers with a smile and an “Of course you can, Roland.”

He squirms in his father’s grasp with a dimpled grin much like Robin’s until he is set down and can crawl into the booth next to Henry leaving Robin to take the empty space beside Regina. His woodsy scent washed over her as he sat down – smiling a little awkwardly at their closeness – and she fought hard to keep her eyes from flickering shut. He smelt incredible.

“I need to tell Ruby where we’re sitting,” Robin sighed, moving to do just that before Henry stopped him.

“She’ll probably already know, she’s the best waitress in here.”

“It’s true,” Regina smiled and nodded, “doesn’t miss a trick, that one.”

And sure enough, when their drinks are delivered – four now instead of just two – Ruby doesn’t falter in finding them but does offer Regina an extremely unsubtle raise of her brows, looking at the scant space between her and Robin. “Any food for our newest customers?” she asked, ignoring Regina’s pointed glare with a grin.

“Blueberry waffles for me, please,” Robin replied, raising his eyebrows at Roland, “and for you, young sir?”

Regina chuckled at the term before turning to look at said child to find him frowning at the menu – she was quite sure there was a lot he couldn’t understand – but before she or Robin were able to say anything more, Henry asked, “You wanna share my pancakes with me? They’re really yummy, we can split them.”

“Really?” Roland asked with eyes wide as he turned his head to look at Henry with absolute awe. Henry nodded gamely, smiling when Roland thanked him and gently taking the menu to pass over to Ruby once the decision had been made and confirmed.

Regina’s heart grew three sizes in her chest.

* * *

 

They’ve eaten and had their plates cleared by the time Regina’s cell phone rang. She rolled her eyes and made to decline the call before she’d read the name and announced that it was a call she’d had to take. Robin had slipped out from beside her, relishing in the light brush of their bodies as she’d rushed to make her way outside to answer – trying and failing to keep from watching her as she’d left, especially with the soft and subtle scent of her perfume lingering behind – and kept an eye on her through the window to make sure it wasn’t anything urgent or, God forbid, tragic.

A few moments later, however, she’d returned practically beaming.

She’d waited until Henry had suggested showing Roland the jukebox until she’d turned to him and explained the reason for her smile.

“Before you came to my office yesterday, Graham and I were asking someone to take over as Deputy Sheriff for the summer, to help take a lot of the strain off of Graham and to keep the overspill from reaching me.” Robin nodded, the pieces fitting together in his mind as to the reason for the Sheriff’s presence yesterday – and the hug – as she continued, “Well, that was Graham calling to confirm that David is going to take the job.”

“Meaning you’ll have a lot less to worry about,” he finished for her with his own smile, “that’s fantastic.”

She nodded, laughing softly as she shook her head, “I’m going to keep an eye on things until he’s settled in properly but…” her eyes were sheened suddenly with the glossiness of tears as she turned to glance at their boys.

“You’ll have more time off to spend with Henry.”

“Exactly.”

His breath caught in his chest when she turned back to face him with a look of pure elation, a tear slipping from her eye and trailing down her cheek. She looked absolutely stunning.

“I’m sorry,” she laughed wetly, lifting a hand to wipe away the tear he’d been itching to catch for her, shaking her head once more, “I don’t know why I’m crying.”

“You’re happy,” he shrugged, still trying to regulate his breathing as he shifted in his seat, “it’s completely understandable.”

“Still, we’re in the middle of the diner. I don’t think it’d do for the town to see their Mayor having some sort of mental break so early in the day.”

Laughter bubbled out of him as he watched her trying to wipe subtly at her face and tamp down her emotions. Her smile though, that remained much to his delight. “You have a beautiful smile.”

The words were out of his mouth before he’d even had chance to process them properly, they were supposed to have been more of a silent musing rather than a schoolboy confession.

He watched with wide eyes as her cheeks flushed pink and she ducked her face from his. “I’m sorry,” he floundered, feeling like a complete fool for ruining their easy conversation, “I shouldn’t have-“

“It’s okay,” she assured him as she tucked her hair behind her ear and looked at him once more, something he couldn’t quite decipher in those dark eyes, “and…thank you.”

They were interrupted by the approach of their children, Henry rather excited as he stepped up to Regina’s side and laid his palms over the hand she had resting on the table. Robin watched as her eyes dropped to the table, her smile curling a little higher before she was looking back up at her son. It had his own lips lifting in a smile to see the affection the two held for one another.

“Roland said that they’re painting at the restaurant again today,” Henry informed her, bouncing on his heels slightly. Roland nodded as he clambered back onto the bench and slid to face Robin with a happy little smile that his father mirrored. “Could we stop by and help for a little while?”

His heart knocked twice in his chest at that request as his eyes moved from his son to the woman beside him. He couldn’t quite make out the expression on her face but he could see the way her shoulders bounced lightly with a laugh as she took in Henry’s pleading expression. He had the puppy dog eyes down to a fine art, it seemed, for she was soon replying, “If it’s okay with Robin and with John and they’ll allow us a half hour to run home and change then yes,” she nodded, “I think that’d be quite a nice way to spend our afternoon.”

“I can call him if you’d like but I’m pretty sure John would appreciate all the help he can get at the minute.”

Her eyes were dark but beautifully bright when she turned her head to look at him, white teeth peeking out from behind her lips as she smiled at him. “No need, I’ll send a quick text through when we get home and we’ll be by as quick as we can.” And then, as she began shuffling out from the booth, dropping a few bills onto the table for Ruby, she asked, “Do you need us to bring anything?”

He shook his head – John had plenty of paintbrushes to go around – and replied, “Just your smile,” much to his utter mortification and Henry’s absolute amusement if his poorly hidden snort was anything to go by.

“ _Henry!”_ Regina scolded as she apologised needlessly to Robin before saying their goodbyes for now and making their way out of the diner.

He’d kick himself completely for ruining a rather nice morning if it weren’t for the pink that had dusted Regina’s cheeks.


End file.
